Yearlong effort nets no funds for Webster library project

WEBSTER — A former state representative hired to raise money for a multimillion dollar library building project failed in a yearlong effort to raise any money.

Longtime democrat, Paul Kujawski, of Webster was paid $34,500 for a year of work, according to library officials in response to a public records request made by the Telegram & Gazette.

The town seeks $11.1 million to raze and renovate the 93-year-old Lake Street library, whose space has been deemed well used but inadequate.

The library has made it to the top of the state's construction waiting list. It will receive a $5.3 million grant from the state when funding becomes available. The town would then have six months to raise the remaining balance, officials said.

Mr. Kujawski's $3,000-per-month consulting contract ended in August. It also called for him to be paid an additional 4 percent of all donations made and received by the trustee board and town through June 30.

Because the pact began Aug. 13, 2012, he was paid $1,500 the first month.

He was paid for every month except his final month of service. He did not submit a bill for August, library director Amanda Grenier told trustees at Thursday night's board meeting.

In an interview Friday, Mr. Kujawski said he solely targeted donors who have the potential to make large contributions.

He said he reached out to about 15 people who, in a best-case scenario, would cover the town's nearly $6 million portion. He said he still expects those donors to come through for him.

With money still owed to him by the board for his final month of service, Mr. Kujawski said he isn't going to bill for any more money until he brings in donations.

He vowed to continue working for the board, even though the contract has expired and the board said it considered the business relationship over.

"I'm not going to ask them to do more until I can be somewhat successful," Mr. Kujawski said. "I do have a conscience."

He said local competition has been difficult to offset.

In Webster, a local hospital seeks donations for an emergency room project, while a Catholic school wants money for a new gymnasium. Donations have also been requested for the police station that's under construction. Nichols College in Dudley has had two capital projects for which it's requested donations, Mr. Kujawski noted.

In addition, many people looked at the future with such uncertainty and held onto their expendable income because of different tax structures proposed by the government, he said.

Library trustee chairwoman Jean Travis said the board opted to hire Mr. Kujawski as a less expensive alternative to professional money raisers the board had interviewed. The companies wanted in the range of $100,000, Ms. Travis said.

A request for proposals was put together, reviewed by town counsel and advertised.

Mr. Kujawski was the lone applicant.

Ms. Travis, who did not refer to Mr. Kujawski by name in her answer to the paper's records request, said private donations were used to compensate Mr. Kujawski. No tax dollars were used for the endeavor.

"The library trustees felt that the hiring of this individual at one-third of the cost of the others was a good use of these private funds," Ms. Travis said. "The trustees had also been assured by this individual that matching funds needed to make the library a reality for the town were attainable."

Trustees said Mr. Kujawski has long-term ties to the community and a well-established name in Webster, Ms. Travis said.

"We were hoping that there were people in the Webster-Dudley local area that he still was familiar with, and friends with, that he could go to and bring us the needed money," member James Chauvin said during Thursday's meeting.

But Mr. Kujawski said he found the contrast of asking people for just $500 in political donations, to $1 million for the library project, "a completely different animal."

He said potential donors have also questioned why Webster didn't join or combine with Dudley's new library less than a mile away.

Others have questioned the need for a public library in today's computer age, said Mr. Kujawski, adding he believed a new library would serve as a nice "front door" to improvements in Webster's downtown.

At the April 10 meeting, Mr. Kujawski advised the board that "promising contacts" had been made.

At its July 10 meeting, Mr. Kujawski reported that he expected money by month's end. A letter of intent will be forthcoming, the minutes said.

During the Aug. 7 meeting, the minutes indicate Mr. Kujawski said, "Expectations were for a large check following a verbal commitment" for a $6 million donation for the new library from Arthur Remillard, Jr., the founder of The Commerce Insurance Co. in Webster in 1971.

But Mr. Kujawski was unable to secure a written letter, the minutes continued.

"Trustees were very disappointed and expressed that to Paul," the minutes said. "Jean stated we need this in writing as we are obligated to a time restraint imposed by the library commission."

But Mr. Kujawski said Friday the reference to Mr. Remillard — who has pledged to match every dollar raised for the hospital project, up to $4 million — shouldn't have been part of the official record.

"That's not for public knowledge," Mr. Kujawski said Friday. "It shouldn't have been in the minutes," he said, adding it was a "delicate scenario."

The board appears resigned to move on.

Ms. Travis said she and member Rena Klebart were working on a letter to mail to businesses and banks because those businesses have charitable giving in their budgets and are generally receptive of presentations about worthwhile community projects.

For that effort, it is looking for someone who can produce a tri-fold graphic.

The board also discussed placing an advertisement in Smart Shopper, contacting the Webster-Dudley-Oxford Chamber of Commerce and the Webster-Dudley Business Alliance, and it wants to find a list of all civic organizations in town.

Mr. Chauvin said he intends to contact the state ethics commission to investigate how deeply the board can get involved with fundraising.

The board was initially told that trustees could not raise money, but has since received conflicting information, Ms. Travis explained.

The board also intends to interview professional fundraisers in the near future, Ms. Travis said.

It is hoping for a lower quote than $100,000 from years ago.

"Now that we think we can get more involved than we thought we could before, we might be able to take up some of the slack that we won't have to pay others to do," Ms. Travis said.

When Ms. Travis and Mr. Chauvin started this project more than 11 years ago, they wanted to be able to raise enough money so they wouldn't have to approach town taxpayers for a dime, she said.

During the meeting, Mr. Chauvin said the board hadn't heard from Mr. Kujawski since August.

But Mr. Kujawski disputed that notion. He said he's since spoken to and met privately with Ms. Travis.

"As I said to Jean Travis, I live in this town. I was born and brought up in this town and I have a reputation," Mr. Kujawski said. "The easiest thing for me to do is say, 'I tried and I failed.' I'm not going to do that. But there are obstacles that have to be overcome."

Asked if, in hindsight, he should have negotiated a purely performance-based contract, Mr. Kujawski explained:

"I lose an election. In January (2011) I don't get paid. I'm 57 years old and I have nothing coming in," he said, adding he didn't find work for six months, and his pension hadn't taken effect until August or September 2011.

Mr. Kujawski said it was difficult for him to quantify how many hours he spent trying to raise money for the library project.

He said his work consisted of numerous dinners and lunches, visits to homes, and walks with the people he's known the majority of his life.

"You can't equate time with this kind of fundraising — when you're asking for major, major donations," he said.

No money has been raised for the building project by other means, Ms. Grenier said.